The Difference Between Mental and Emotional Health

The Difference Between Mental and Emotional Health

Most people assume that mental and emotional health are the same because they both handle non-tangible elements of human health. However, they involve different aspects of a person’s mind and senses. As such, regulating and taking care of both a person’s mental and emotional health is crucial for a recovering addict. However, these types of programs are very different. In fact, each treats different underlying problems that can lead to addiction. Knowing the difference between emotional health vs mental health can help people when they choose a rehab center.

We assume mental health as the ocean, with emotional health being the waves. With that comparison in mind, consider the differences.

What is Mental Health

Mental Health is the hardware, as emotional health is the software. Mental health is about the functioning of your brain. In that sense, it includes emotional health — along with your intellectual, spiritual, and social health. Among other things, mental health determines how you handle:

  • Decision making
  • Interactions with others
  • Managing stress

Mental health deals with behaviors that relate to the mind or brain. Related problems that develop are typically the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. There are a few ways that a chemical imbalance can happen in the brain. One way is a natural imbalance of chemicals. This typically happens when mental health conditions run within the family. Another way that a chemical imbalance can occur is via the abuse of mind-altering drugs. If you encounter mental health issues, these basic functions are impacted. Such problems may be caused by:

  • Your family history
  • Experiences you have lived through (e.g., abuse, trauma, etc.)
  • Biological factors, such as brain chemistry or genes

What is Emotional Health

Emotional health deals with matters of the heart. The issues that develop tend to occur more often when people have to deal with traumatic or negative life events. Emotional health blends emotional intelligence with emotional regulation. How you process that incoming data is related to your mental health. Consider the elements constructing emotional health:

  • Being aware of your emotions
  • Accepting your feelings
  • Processing and managing those feelings
  • Expressing your feelings
  • Appropriately doing all of the above

Emotional Health vs. Mental Health

Though mental and emotional health can be defined differently, multiple qualities separate them from each other. For one, mental and emotional health process different parts of your mind and conduct. The state of your mental health reflects how well your mind processes information and experiences. On the other hand, your emotional health revolves around how you express your emotions based on those experiences. In a sense, your mental and emotional health handles especially different parts of your mind. Mental and emotional health both have varying scopes, with mental health beyond your own experiences and surrounding your ability to reason your decisions. In comparison, emotional health focuses more on a person’s individual feelings, experiences, and how they manage them. In the end, maintaining both good mental health and emotional health are crucial to a healthy life. Balancing both can not only pursue overall healthier wellbeing but one that can avert the vices of addiction.

People often have different symptoms when they struggle with emotional or mental health issues. While it’s possible for people to suffer from both at the same time, one is typically the underlying issue. However, how can they tell the difference? Regarding behavior, people who suffer mentally typically stay quiet and calm in a corner. This makes it harder to understand their problems. People with emotional issues typically make loud moans and heavy sighs. Those who struggle with mental health often appear abnormal or unhealthy to those around them. Thankfully, this type of problem is much easier to notice than in cases where they’re quiet. For emotional problems, people typically have radical changes in mood. In a few seconds, they can go from having depressive to manic behaviors. It’s important to manage both emotional and mental functions during rehab effectively. Doing so optimizes overall health and treats many problems such as:

  • Depression
  • Anger
  • Fear
  • Anxiety
  • Stress
  • Worry

Oak Forest Recovery Can Help You Manage Mental and Emotional Health

The Oak Forest Recovery Center is the Best Mental Health Clinic in California understands the difference between emotional health vs mental health and knows how to help both. The only way to truly help someone get over addiction and other mental health problems is to manage both.

Oak Forest Recovery is the Best Addiction Treatment Center & offers Sober Living Houses for men & women, we understand this idea, which is why we offer both.

We focus on providing treatment for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30. We also provide gender-specific treatment, which makes our facility a great choice for both men and women. Our treatment center has unique treatment programs that deal with their individual issues. Are you unsure of the difference between emotional health vs mental health? Reach out to Oak Forest Recovery at 1-888-597-6257 or submit the form below to learn more. 

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Can Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Treat Addiction?

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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy approach that can be used to help treat substance use disorders. CBT is commonly used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, phobias, and other mental disorders, but it has also been shown to be valuable in treating alcoholism and drug addiction. This is especially true when it’s part of an overall program of recovery.

CBT helps people learn to better identify the negative and self-defeating thoughts and actions that can contribute to substance use. It is a short-term, focused therapeutic approach to helping drug-dependent people become abstinent.

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How Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) Works?

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Rational emotive behavior therapy, also known as REBT, is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by psychologist Albert Ellis. REBT is focused on helping clients change irrational beliefs.

The Basic Steps of REBT

In order to better understand how REBT looks, it is important to take a closer look at the therapeutic process itself.

Identify Irrational Thought Patterns and Beliefs

The very first step in the process is to identify the underlying, irrational thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that lead to psychological distress. In many cases, these irrational beliefs are reflected as absolutes, as in “I must,” “I should,” or “I cannot.” According to Ellis, some of the most common irrational beliefs include:

  • Feeling excessively upset over other people’s mistakes or misconduct
  • Believing that you must be 100% competent and successful in everything to be valued and worthwhile
  • Believing that you will be happier if you avoid life’s difficulties or challenges
  • Feeling that you have no control over your own happiness, that your contentment and joy are dependent upon external forces

Holding such unyielding beliefs makes it almost impossible to respond to activating situations in a psychologically healthy way. Possessing such rigid expectations of ourselves and others only leads to disappointment, recrimination, regret, and anxiety. Rational emotive behavior therapy can be effective in the treatment of a range of psychological disorders, including anxiety and phobias. It can also help people manage specific behaviors, such as severe shyness and excessive approval-seeking.

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Overview of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

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Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Its main goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others.

DBT can help people who have difficulty with emotional regulation or are exhibiting self-destructive behaviors (eating disorders and substance use disorders). DBT is sometimes used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

How It Works

DBT has evolved to become an evidence-based psychotherapy approach that is used to treat many conditions. DBT is used in three therapeutic settings.

Group settings where patients are taught behavioral skills by completing homework assignments and role-playing new ways of interacting with others.

Individual therapy with a trained professional where a patient’s learned behavioral skills are adapted to their personal life challenges.

Phone coaching in which patients can call the therapist between sessions to receive guidance on coping with a difficult situation they are currently in.

Each therapeutic setting has its own structure and goals, but the characteristics of DBT can be found in group skills training, individual psychotherapy, and phone coaching.

Acceptance and change. You’ll learn strategies to accept and tolerate your life circumstances, emotions, and yourself. You will also develop skills that can help you make positive changes in your behaviors and interactions with others.

Behavioral. You’ll learn to analyze problems or destructive behavior patterns and replace them with more healthy and effective ones.

Cognitive. You’ll focus on changing thoughts, beliefs, behaviors, and actions that are not effective or helpful.  

Collaboration. You’ll learn to communicate effectively and work together as a team (therapist, group therapist, psychiatrist).

Skill sets. You’ll learn new skills to enhance your capabilities.

Support. You’ll be encouraged to recognize your positive strengths and attributes and develop and use them.

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